Hiding Death
by Mali-Bista
Summary: After a little incounter with Orochimaru, Sasuke ends up in Konoha hospital where Team Kakashi is forced to keep a dreadful secret...a secret that could contain something as powerful as...death!
1. A Decided Fate

_Hello people. This account is shared. I, Bista, am the one that (apparently) uploads chapters. This story, however, is completly done by my partner Mali. Enjoy._

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Sorry about that beginning sort of thing. I was typing with one hand since I was talking to my partner on the phone. Okay, for those who aren't familiar with this account, this is a shared account. I, the Bista part of the pen name, am the more technical one and I'm the one that uploads the chapters, stories, etc. For _this_ story, my partner, the Mali part of the pen name, does everything for this story. I just edit it. The plot is her's, not mine, and I have no clue what's going to happen in this story. For more details on how our account works, visit our profile.

Anyway, enjoy the story! Oh, and if you have any questions at all, drop me/us a line.

**Note**: We do **NOT** own Naruto, or any of it's characters. I don't even own the plot though; Mali does.

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**Chapter 1:**

**A Decided Fate**

He was frightened, the metal chains bounding him to Orochimaru's prison wall clanged as he tried to move into a more comfortable position. Sasuke shivered as he tried to look at his settings but all he could see was a black emptiness.

"_How the heck did I end up here! What happened? Where am I? Ow, my entire body hurts so much!"_

"Hello Sasuke-kun," said a dark voice intruding the silence as Orochimaru flicked on a light.

"What? Why are you here?" Sasuke demanded as the Snake approached him, giving Sasuke that feeling of doom as if he would never see the outside world again.

"Now, now Sasuke-kun, is that any way to treat someone who is willing to teach you how to kill Itachi?"

"What?"

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Kakashi-sensei, where's Sasuke?" asked the blonde. "I haven't seen him all day; is he still sleeping?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen him since last light either," added a worried looking Sakura.

"I don't know, I was about to ask you guys the same thing. I went into his house and he isn't there. His bed is made and there is nothing out of place, so there's not a single thing that shows signs of a fight. Frankly, I don't know where he could possibly be," Kakashi sighed, he was now starting to get worried about his raven haired student.

"_Where could he be? He would've told somebody on the squad that he wouldn't be able to come to the training grounds but still, I don't think Sasuke would miss training. Come to think of it, the only time he was when he was in the hospital. Where is he? Wait, could it be…"_

"Oh no," Kakashi whispered to himself. "I have to go… um… well, that's not important. Just tell Hokage-sama that I've gone to go find Sasuke, okay?"

And without waiting for an answer he disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving a confused Naruto and Sakura to deliver his message.

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The Snake grabbed Sasuke around the neck and looked him dead in the eye, Sasuke's cursed seal immediately flaring as it did when ever Orochimaru stared at him like this. The pain only intensified when Orochimaru preformed a few hand signs and placed his palm against Sasuke's neck removing Kakashi's seal and setting new one. Sasuke screamed in pain, then fainted. His body span in infinite pain.

"Hello Kakashi-kun," greeted the Snake, not even bothering to look around.

"What the heck did you do to Sasuke!" Kakashi yelled but in reality he knew exactly what Orochimaru had done; he had raped him.

"Well, well I didn't expect you to see you so soon Kakashi. I just 'played' with him. You can take him now. I'll need him to mature more before I can do anything else to him. He satisfied me enough today; I indeed want him."

Kakashi glared at the Snake and realized it would do no good. What was done was done. Orochimaru had raped Sasuke, got away with it; Sasuke had satisfied him enough for the Snake to want him, well not him, but his body and his Sharingan.

"Don't try taking my seal off or Sasuke-kun will die. Oh yes, by the way, you can't see the seal so don't try putting another seal over it or, well, I think you know the consequences."

Orochimaru vanished into thin air leaving Kakashi alone with his unconscious student. Kakashi went over to where Sasuke lay and put a hand on his forehead; he had a very high fever. Sasuke stirred and looked up at his sensei.

"Kakashi?" he muttered weakly. "Where am I?"

"Never mind that. Can you get up?" Kakashi asked. "_Why doesn't Sasuke remember where he is?"_

"Umm… I'll try."

After three attempts of getting up he still hadn't succeed. On the fourth he had turned pale, too pale for Kakashi's liking.

"Okay Sasuke, I'm going to carry you so just hold on tight to me okay?"

A head nodded and Sasuke grabbed on to his sensei and teleported into Kakashi's apartment where he laid Sasuke on his futon.

"Try to go to slee..." but before he could finish Sakura and Naruto burst through the door.

"What happened?" asked a bewildered Sakura.

Kakashi then shushed her.

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei what's wrong with Sasuke?" Naruto asked in a quiet voice.

"Umm… do you mind me telling them Sasuke?"

"No" replied Sasuke weakly.

"Okay, well Sasuke has been… been…"

"Been what!" yelled Naruto.

"Be quiet Naruto!" hushed Sakura.

"Well this is kind of awkward to say so please forgive me if it takes a while to say." Kakashi hated admitting to these kinds of things. It made him feel stupid and embarrassed.

"Hurry up!" whispered a very paranoid Naruto.

"Fine you want to know what happened!" yelled Sasuke making all three of his comrades look up in surprise. "If you really want to know, which I'm sure you don't, I'll tell you!"

"Tell us"

When Sasuke replied his voice dropped and octave and turned into something almost quieter than a whisper.

"I was raped"

Naruto's and Sakura's mouths dropped in disbelief as Sasuke told them. There was a long silence until broken by Kakashi.

"Let's let Sasuke sleep."

"Fine," Naruto coldly agreed but didn't take his eyes off his friend. Then he asked, "He must have wanted something from you; what was it?"

"I… I don't know," Sasuke admitted. At that very moment his cursed seal activated.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Sakura screamed. She had forgotten that Sasuke had the cursed seal. "_Kakashi-sensei sealed it off though. For a year nothing has happened so why the sudden change?"_

"Can you do anything?" Naruto asked fretfully, still wondering what the heck happened to his friend.

Kakashi shook his head. He couldn't do anything but try to help Sasuke back up onto the couch. Right then, Sasuke doubled over in pain, his right knuckles turning white as he squeezed his left shoulder where the cursed mark had surfaced. It turned red and started protruding out of its original position. He wasn't yelling anymore but was lying face down on the floor shaking uncontrollably. Kakashi took that as a sign that the pain had died down a bit but something was wrong. Sasuke couldn't yell; Truth be told he was having trouble breathing.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine…" Sasuke wheezed.

"Are you sure?" Sakura questioned.

Sasuke started coughing violently. When the first spasm stopped Kakashi rested his palm against Sasuke's brow; his fever was higher than before and that's when Sasuke had his second spasm. This one was much longer and hurt his lungs far worse than before. He tasted something in his mouth, a taste he had tasted only too many times; the sickening taste of blood.

"Sasuke, you're coughing up blood!" shrieked Sakura.

"We need to get you to the hospital right away!" Kakashi said suddenly, taking charge of the situation being he was the only adult around and the other two looked too dumb stricken to be able to do anything. At this rate Sasuke was sure to die from lack of blood.

"No, really I'm #cough# fine."

But against all his pleads that he was fine the other three completely ignored him.

At that time Sakura wished more than ever that she had worked harder in Medical Ninja treatments. Then maybe she might have learned how to stop her precious Sasuke from fainting due to blood loss. She just felt terrible about it but then it wasn't her fault anyway, was it? Somehow that reassured her.

They had to teleport Sasuke to the hospital because they couldn't very well go out in the middle of January with an unconscious Sasuke dripping blood from his pervious wounds from Oto, covered in blood, still coughing up his life liquid, still in pain from the cursed seal.

"_What's wrong with him?"_ Naruto wondered as he ran to the hospital because he, unlike Sakura and Sasuke, couldn't figure out to go teleport right.

Whenever he tried he would end up somewhere opposite of where he wanted to go. For example he wanted to be in training ground 3 but ended up in the Academy in front of Iruka's class totally embarrassed when one of the students out did him in teleporting to the other side to the classroom. The kid did it perfectly while Naruto ended up out side the window much to his dismay.

"_Why am I thinking about this? This isn't important. It's not my fault that I am literally unable to teleport!"_

When Naruto finally got there Sasuke was unconscious and had a breathing mask on. No one knew exactly what happened to him but they thought it was the fact that (Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi had not figured out) Sasuke had several broken bones three of which were his ribs. One of the ribs had punctured a hole into his let lung.

"What did I miss?" announced the blonde after forcing the door open making Kakashi give him an icy stare.

Naruto knew something was wrong with the Uchiha but he had never in all his life imagined this.

"Well for one, his left lung is punctured and will need to be operated on." Naruto replied with a small noise that just meant for Kakashi to continue. "Further more when Orochimaru… raped him he gave Sasuke a needle that poured a slow reacting poison into his blood stream and, well, Hokage-sama doesn't know how to take it all out without killing him because it's already spread though most of his blood. They'd have to operate and Sasuke would only have a 50/50 chance of living without dying from blood loss which brings us to the point that Sasuke almost died from blood loss already. In another half hour he would have died but as it is he's lucky to be alive."

"Well is there anything else?" asked Naruto trying ever so hard not to let his jaw drop to the ground.

"Sakura's really taking all this out on herself being she's training to be a Medic-nin. I have only one more thing to tell you. This may be a little shocking to hear." This time when Kakashi started to finish he sounded despondent and his one visible eye was closed as if he were in mental agony to say something he really hated to say. "Sasuke-_kun…_"

"Huh? What's the horribly bad news and since when have you called him Sasuke-kun?"

Kakashi didn't bother answering but just paused for what seemed like an entirety.

"Sasuke-kun is… is… go ask Sakura about it," Kakashi finished.

Naruto looked out into the hall where he saw a weeping Sakura crying into her knees.

"Sakura-chan, are you ok?" Sakura didn't answer. "Kakashi-sensei told me to come and ask you what is going to happen to Sasuke."

At this Sakura looked up, her eyes pink from crying. She firmly shook her head and slowly answered.

"I… I… can't… I just can't…" She was trembling and couldn't finish her sentence.

Naruto walked back over to Sasuke's hospital room and told the silent man sitting beside Sasuke's beside that Sakura couldn't tell him. Reluctantly Kakashi turned his head toward the blonde. For the first time, since the death of the 3rd Hokage, Naruto could see his sensei with tears of sorrow welling up inside his one visible eye.

"Well nobody knows how this happened but Sasuke has a rare disease of Numa-ultra-micro-scopic-cillacoval-capricornus-con-icone-e-osus." Naruto blinked at the long word. "It means that Sasuke is losing the will to hold on to life and is practically killing _himself_. Nothing we say will change what will happen. As this process goes on he won't feel any different nor will he start getting any thinner. He'll just die, partly from the poison since as you know we can't remove all of it and party because he'll just give up on life."

"What!" Naruto asked in disbelief of what he had just heard.

"The Medical Ninjas figure that since he's 15 now he should live to about 25, 30 at the oldest. Well, that is if he doesn't die from his cursed seal or in a mission."

"He only has 10 to 15 years left!"

"Yeah, and we are not allowed to tell him about his fate either. Those are strict ORDERS!" Kakashi didn't know why he was lashing out at Naruto. "Sorry," he mumbled. "There's one more thing. While Sasuke was with Orochimaru the Snake took off my seal. He put on one of his own making sure that if I tried to seal it again that Sasuke would die. As I'm sure you know his cursed seal causes him great pain as you saw earlier. If he puts too much strain on himself and allows his cursed seal to activate he will die at an age of 20 or in 5 years. Sasuke's unconscious and won't wake up unless he finds something that's worth living for. He's already half dead. If he can't find that reason he'll go into a permanent comma and Hokage will be forced to… to…"

"To do what Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto impatiently asked. Kakashi took a deep breath and said.

"They'll be forced to kill him…"


	2. Spolied

**Hello everyone. Mali here. Sorry about how long it took to upload this story. I had Bista edit it and she told me all these things that were wrong and had to be fixed. It was just a nightmare. Well everything's sorted out. **

**You may find that Sasuke says something alittle askew but don't worry it will later have a point! So just sit tight. Happy reading. Please feel free to comment on my writing style.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto some guy in Japan does. I only own my plot so please don't use it. **

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**Chapter 2:**

**Spoiled**

**"What!!" Naruto yelled at Kakashi who shushed him immediately for he last thing he wanted was to be kicked out of the hospital because of Naruto's loud voice. "You're kidding right?"**

**"No."**

**"Please you have to just be joking around!"**

**"Naruto I'm sorry but I'm not kidding this is for real."**

**"But… he'll pull though all this. He has to. This can't be real." **

**"Sorry Naruto. I can't change anything. Sakura is really taking this out on herself. I don't want to lose him either. So please Naruto, just please."**

**"Please what?" Naruto asked. This was really weird Kakashi desperately asking him for help.**

**"Sasuke trusts you the most and likes you the most. Even though it doesn't show you're like family to him. That's why he saved you on the bridge. That's why you and you especially have to help Sasuke find a reason to live. Sakura and I can help but I believe that you're the only one who can help."**

**"Me? But Kakashi-sensei what do I know that can help?" **

**"I don't know Naruto. I just don't know." Kakashi paused and looked at the blonde who like Kakashi and Sakura had tears of pain, sadness and desperation welling up into his eyes. "Go talk to Sakura. She needs all the sympathy she can get."**

**Naruto nodded his head once then reluctantly tore himself away from his comrades. **

**"Sakura, are you going to be ok?" Naruto asked slowly. But the only response he got was a chocked cough and harder crying. "Look Sakura I'm really sorry for what happened but maybe You, Kakashi-sensei and I can help find that reason to help Sasuke out Ok?"**

**"O sob Ok" **

**"Good lets think. What's really important to Sasuke?"**

**"Hum…Kakashi-sensei?"**

**"Sakura is something else wrong?"**

**"Well no but could you please come over here and help us brainstorm some ideas for what Sasuke might awaken for?"**

**"Sure"**

**"Teamwork"**

**"No, Sasuke's not much of a team player unless its mission and we're in danger"**

**"How about family, he must have someone like a Mom and a Dad who love him and would not want to make sad?" subjected Sakura.**

**"Ya!" Naruto chimed in enthusiastically.**

**"Are you guys stupid?!" Kakashi asked in disbelief. **

**"What do you mean? I mean what's wrong with Sasuke loving a family member?" Sakura asked.**

**"Family, ha that's a laugh! As if!"**

**"What do you mean Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked in wonder.**

**"Well for starters Sasuke's family was massacred in front of him when he was eight years old by his older brother Itachi who was 13. Just so you know Itachi was a remarkable ninja he had the sharigan at a very young age, graduated from the Ninja Academy at the top of his class and became an Anbu squad leader at the age of 13"**

**"Wow."**

**"Well to continue with what I was saying from the day of the massacre Sasuke has lived only I repeat only to kill his brother Itachi. If you remember when I asked you guys to introduce yourselves when you because genin Sasuke said he was going to avenge his clan and kill someone though he didn't say who he meant Itachi."**

**"Oh my god, I just remembered something! When we in wave Country Sasuke risked his life for mine by moving me and in return got covered in Haku's needle things. When we both thought he was going to die he said something about his promise to not die until he killed his brother. I never knew why he would want to do that but now I do."**

**"Well ya"**

**"Maybe if we say something about his oath to kill Itachi he'll wake up?!"**

**"Ok, let's try it!" Kakashi said immediately standing up and heading for Sasuke's room with his students on his heels. **

**"Sasuke, what do you want to do most in the world?" Naruto asked but knowing it would do no good by asking when he could not answer was a complete waste of time.**

**"Sasuke, you have to wake up now." Kakashi started. "You need to get up so we can do a mission and you can get stronger and stronger so you can kill someone, that someone being Itachi!"**

**After forty-five minutes of saying things like Sasuke you need to get up so you can kill Itachi or Sasuke if you don't wake up someone else will kill Itachi.**

**Then miraculously Sasuke winced. **

**"Sasuke" A small groan greeted that and Team Kakashi knew they saved Sasuke, well for the time being, knowing they could not alter his fate.**

**"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked. A shrug from Sasuke meant that he wasn't feeling all that great.**

**"Do you want something to drink?" Kakashi asked and again another shrug then followed by a small head shake.**

**"What are you gawking at dobe?" Sasuke asked a small smirk appearing on his face.**

**"Nothing" **

**"Ya right."**

**"So Sasuke do you need anything?" asked Sakura who didn't like to hear fighting much.**

**"No, but thanks anyway Sakura"**

**After one and a half weeks Tsunade let Sasuke out of the hospital but said that Sasuke couldn't live alone just incase that happened again.**

**"You know. For safety reasons" She explained to Squad 7.**

**"Seriously" Sasuke asked.**

**"Yes you have no choice Sasuke. Well I 'm going to go now you four can discuss whose house you will be staying at."**

**"Fine" Sasuke said half heartedly.**

**"Ok well bye-bye then." Without another word she left the room leaving Team Kakashi.**

**"Sorry Sasuke, I would offer that you could stay with me but my parents wouldn't allow it." The pink haired girl offered ending with a shake of her head.**

**"Can't be my house" Kakashi started to say. "I won't be home enough to watch over you."**

**Sasuke's reply was only a head shake then he turned his attention to Naruto.**

**"Well I guess that only leaves my house, eh Sasuke?!" the blonde said. "That's fine with me I have no plans!" He said excitedly.**

**"Ok" Sasuke said slowly.**

**So after an hour in Hokage's office Sasuke was settled into Naruto's small apartment. **

**"So what do you want to do Sasuke?" **

**"I don't know it's not my house." **

**Just then there was a knock on the door and Naruto bounded over to receive it. When he opened the door standing there was Neji and Hinata. **

**"Well hi there. Look whose here Sasuke!" Naruto said while letting them step though the threshold into his house.**

**"Hi Sas…Sasuke-k…kun." Hinata greeted shyly while Neji just waved.**

**"Hi Hinata-chan" Sasuke said.**

**"How are you d…doing Sasuke?" Hinata asked.**

**"Ok I guess." Sasuke started. "I have to live with Naruto though." **

**Hinata like most of the other shinobi knew about Sasuke's condition. Neji was looking at him weirdly and ever since Sasuke woke up Naruto wasn't acting like himself when he was around him.**

**"I b…brought you some….something" she said again still stuttering as she talked. "It's for y…your injuries. T…they're herbs."**

**"Thanks"**

**"So Neji, Hinata would you like to stay for dinner?" asked Naruto looking at his other friends.**

**"Sure" they both replied then the four went to sit around the small table. **

**After some bowls of ramen and tea the two Hugya's bid Naruto and Sasuke fare well and left on there way to the Hugya compound.**

**"I sure hope S…Sasuke-kun will be o…okay. Don't you Neji-kun?" timidly asked Hinata while they headed down the next street toward their home.**

**"Sure" he answered not really caring at all what would happen to the Uchiha.**

**"Did you k…know that Sasuke-kun is a…an orphan l…like Naruto-kun?" questioned Hinata to her cousin walking beside her.**

**"Duh" Neji plainly answered.**

**A week after living at Naruto's Kakashi told them they had another mission.**

**"Who, what, when, where, why? Oh well that doesn't work, hmm, take away the why." Naruto exclaimed to his teammates.**

**"We'll be going to Earth Country where we'll pick up a man named Nidimo. He is either my cousin well cousin two times removed or my cousin three times removed. We are to escort him here for two and a half weeks then bring him back home." Kakashi stated in a board voice.**

**"Ok but what rank mission is this Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura.**

**"C or B I don't really remember." The teacher lamely admitted.**

**"Oh."**

**"So I except to see you three here at six tomorrow with your ninja gear and well you know what else." Kakashi said changing the subject matter.**

**"You mean six at night right?!" Naruto panicked.**

**"No, six in the morning and if you guys were going to ask no I won't be late."**

**"Ya right!" Naruto teased.**

**"Want to bet?" **

**"Yes!"  
"Ok then. If I show up on time or early you owe me a bowl of ramen when we get back or if I don't I'll treat you. Sound good?"**

**"Ya bring it on, believe it!"**

**"Good, that's it your dismissed."**

**That night rising to the challenge Kakashi decided to pack the night before. He also made the decision to set all his clocks one and a half hours before hand so that his alarm clock would ring earlier.**

**So that morning at exactly six Kakashi teleported to the training grounds where they were to meet. Sasuke was already there and so was Sakura but there was no Naruto to be seen.**

**Just then Naruto ran into the training grounds loudly announcing that he was there.**

**"Hey Naruto, you owe Kakashi-sensei a bowl or ramen." Stated Sasuke in a dull voice but not bothering to look up at his comrades.**

**"Where the heck were you Sasuke?!" yelled Naruto. "I was looking for you for like ten minutes!" **

**"I went on my own."**

**"Baka, you could have at least told me."**

**"You were in the shower I didn't feel like interrupting. It's not like I need guarding anyway."**

**"Whatever"**

**"Didn't you hear the first sentence I said?" **

**"No"**

**"Kakashi wasn't late Naruto, you owe him a bowl of ramen."**

**"Fine"**

**"Well let's stop wasting time and be on our way shall we?"**

**So they all teleported to the gates of the country and went on their way to Kakashi's cousin's.**

**Later that night when the sun began to set they decided to look for somewhere to camp.**

**"This looks good." Sakura stated to her teammates.**

**"Ok we'll stop here for the night. Everyone is to set up there tents. Naruto you can set up my tent for me."**

**"What? Why is it always me?!"**

**"Because if you want to eat tonight you'll put of the tent" the silver haired shinobi ordered.**

**Naruto was about to argue farther when his stomach grumbled and decided it would be better to just do it and get it over with.**

**Half an hour later they were all sitting around a campfire eating fried rice.**

**"Kakashi-sensei why can't we have ramen instead of this gross rice?" asked Naruto.**

**Sasuke was done eating by now and decided to go for a walk in the woods.**

**"But Sasuke it's dark and well you don't know your way around." Sakura debated to her teammate.**

**"And…" Sasuke answered in a tired voice that stated he was going weather they agreed on not.**

**"Fine but just be back before nine. We have an early start tomorrow _and_ you have first watch." Kakashi said not really worried at all about the matter.**

**"Ok" Sasuke said getting up of the stump of which he was sitting on and shoved his hand into his pockets and headed toward the forest.**

**"Sasuke shouldn't you put pants on it is getting cold." Sakura cautioned.**

**"I'll be fine, just please stop worrying about me" And with that he walked farther in tot that darkness of the forest.**

**After Kakashi guessed Sasuke was out of ear shot he looked at his comrades.**

**"Sakura you have to let him live his own life. You can't protect him from the surrounding world. If you don't you probably make him angry and he'll just go ballistic on us and disappear again.'**

**"Ok fine" she reluctantly agreed.**

**"I'm going out to find Sasuke not that it's late yet but ya well see ya tomorrow. I'll be in later." Naruto said getting up grabbing a sweater heading toward the spot Sasuke had gone.**

**"What do you want dobe?" Sasuke asked as Naruto slowly approached the Uchiha who was sitting underneath a tree with another small fire going. Naruto guessed Sasuke started it be using the fire jutsu.**

**"Nothing I just came to give you some company"**

**"I don't need any company Naruto."**

**"Yes I know that." Naruto said slowly. "But well maybe you could treat me more civil and we could be friends."**

**"Friends… ya right."**

**"Ya friends, you know develop a friendship."**

**"Friendship is just a word to me now as well as happiness and love." **

**"What do you mean by that?" **

**"I mean I will never have a friend or have happiness or love in my life again."**

**"Why?"**

**"Well you should know by know why. Because of what happened that day…the day of the massacre."**

**"Right, go on"**

**"About what?"**

**"About what you were like, the people you loved, your family, you life before you brother killed everyone."**

**"Fine but don't tell anyone I told you."**

**"Ok."**

**"On the day of the massacre I was on my way back from the ninja academy…"**

**_Must hurry up! I can't wait to show Mommy and daddy my report card! I aced it again at the top of my class! Must hurry up almost there!_**

**The little Uchiha tore down the streets of Konoha toward the Uchiha Compound so he could proudly show off his perfect report card but then stopped and decided to walk very slowly. **

**_Why should I hurry?! Not like anyone will pay attention anyway. They'll just take is nod and sign it and hand it back. Goody no 'wow' or 'great job Son I'm proud of you we all are'. No nothing like that for me! Only Itachi gets complimented!_**

**Not that Sasuke didn't like his brother, oh no! He simply adored him. But Itachi was the only one who got attention as a ninja. **

**_Sasuke why can't you be more like your brother_ his father once said to him. _Sasuke why don't you go play with some friends instead of training for nothing_ his mother said. Sasuke didn't listen to his parents he was determined to be just like his brother. So he trained and trained and trained getting stronger and stronger with out any compliments from his parents.**

**When Sasuke reached the Uchiha compound he knew there was something wrong. It was very quiet too quiet. Sasuke ran up the main family house where he lived only to be greeted by his Grandma, dead and covered in blood.**

**A tear slipped silently from his eyes and onto his cheek. _What happened? _The Uchiha asked himself. _Why is she dead? Where's mom and dad._**

**Slowly stepping over the body he walked father into the house until he reached his parents bedroom. He slowly slid the door open only to reveal a sight so frightening it made him gasp.**

**"Ah Sasuke nice of you to drop by" greeted his older brother.**

**"What do y…you mean?" Sasuke asked.**

**"Sorry I have to do this Sasuke" Itachi said to him. **

**Sasuke noticed that Itiachi's sharingan had changed to the myagu instead of just having the red with three little commas in them.**

**His parents looked over at Sasuke there eyes pleading Itachi not to let Sasuke see the sight was he was about to introduced to.**

**"Why are Mommy and Daddy tied up?"**

**"Well you'll see in a moment" Itachi finished taking his katana from its scabbard, raising it above his parents head.**

**"W…what are y…you doing?!" yelled Sasuke desperately hoping Itachi wouldn't do such a thing.**

**As if cue from Sasuke look Itachi decided not to let Sasuke wallow in grief any longer. Itachi almost smiled as he smoothly sliced the sword at his parent's heads.**

**"No!!"**

**"Sasuke, Sasuke are you ok?" Naruto asked worried about his friend.**

**"Huh, oh ya to continue with what I was saying I was on my way back to the Ninja Academy only to find my Grandma dead in the entry. I kept walking through the house toward my parent's bedroom. When I entered I found them tied up and my brother Itachi standing over them."**

**"So what happened next?"**

**"I was so naïve back then I didn't understand what was going on. So I begged Itachi to let Mom and Dad go. He just laughed and took out his katana and killed them. Right before my eyes they were just gone."**

**"I so sorry Sasuke I had no idea."**

**"No you didn't" Sasuke said shortly. A long silence followed neither of them saying a word. "Sorry" the Uchiha muttered.**

**"Don't worry about it." Naruto said. "I understand how you feel to grow up without being loved."**

**"Ya'**

**"But I always thought you had a family. You were always so popular at school. All the girls including Sakura liked you and I was just the kid who was hated by everyone."**

**"Well I guess that's how life works sometimes."**

**"Well I failed the Ninja Academy three times so I was in your class twice. But after I flunked for the third time Mizuki-sense told me to steal a scroll. Well he wanted it for himself as you could guess. But I learned how to do the shadow clone jutsu that day. Mizuki-sensei revealed to me that I have the Nine Tailed fox trapped in my body.**

**"I know. I came up in my parent's conversation one night."**

**"Yes well listen the day you were in the hospital we were all really worried about you. Sakura thinks you shouldn't be on missions just incase that happens again."**

**"Oh" Sasuke said raising one eyebrow.**

**"Yes well…"**

**"So then maybe you can tell me why You, Kakashi, Sakura, Neji, Hinata, Lee and other shinobi have been treating me differently lately.**

**Do you think you can tell me that? You all act like I'm going to die the next day and ask me things you never did before."**

**Unable to contain himself any longer the secret slipped out.**

**Speaking in almost a whisper Naruto blurted out something he was forbidden to tell. **

**"Sasuke…you're dying…"**

**

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Author's Notes:**

Sasuke's massacre explanation is wrong. I know how it goes. I did it like that on purpose. So don't wirte any comments about that. Just hold tight and keep reading.

The next chapters are on their way.

Please review. Thanks!


	3. Life And Death

**Hello People! -Mali here! Yay... it's up! It's finally up! Sorry it took so long and that it's so short but I promise the next will be longer and will be up much sooner. **

**Here's my excuse:**

**I did finish the chapter but you see we got a new computer and my brother and I had to move everything. So that's what I did. I sent all the documents to myself but when I opened them up they weren't there so all the work was lost becuase my mom deleted my other file of the other computer so that I couldn't copy it.**

**Sorry... please review, it's nice to know what I'm doing wrong.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Naruto or any of the original character in it. I ONLY own MY plot and the EXTRA characters I come up with on my own. Please don't copy right... it's not respective to me or anyone else you copy. Thanks.**

**HAPPY READING!!!**

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**Chapter 3:**

**Life and Death**

**For a long moment no one dared to move.**

**"I know." Sasuke stated although it came out as more of a question than a statement. This of course came as a surprise to Naruto.**

**"What? What did you just say?" Naruto yelled, his temper rising quicker that normal, "If you just said you knew I swear I will rip your head off and… and… and then I'll… well I'll… hurt you!" Sasuke looked slightly amused by Naruto's foolish antic and his choice for words.**

**"So what if I just said that?" Sasuke asked, enjoying this game.**

**"But Sasuke, why didn't you tell us?" This time the question was quiet and timid. All the anger and rage from before had quickly disintegrated in a matter of seconds.**

**"Why? Why didn't I tell you what?" **

**"You jerk; I'm going to kill you, you self-centered, greedy, and jerk of a friend? And don't you dare mess with my mind, Uchiha!" **

**_Wow, I must have him mad _Sasuke thought to himself if he knew Naruto he wasn't going to have it easy. _Ok so maybe he's a little madder than I would have thought he would be when he learned my secret but hey not my fault. I didn't think he'd be able to keep my fate a secret but I didn't expect myself to tell him that I knew already either. This is really messed up. Oh well._**

**"Naruto, just calm down and hear me out ok?" Sasuke stared, hoping his voice sounded normal and under control. Naruto tensed but relaxed and glared at the Uchiha telepathically ordering that the explanation for all this would be good. "Ok… I know I shouldn't have kept this a secret from you guys and I'm sorry for that."**

**_Sasuke's actually apologizing? _Naruto pondered incredulously to himself. This list of firsts for Sasuke just never stopped growing, no wonder Sasuke seemed to never bore Naruto.**

**"But seriously Naruto, if you had what I have you would really tell us? Would you? I don't think you would. How could I tell you? I really thought hard about it and well I just couldn't find a good explanation."**

**"Okay" Naruto said slowly, "But then how long have you know?"**

**"I found out when I started to get random headaches after training. At first there would be a two to three day time period that I wouldn't get them, but soon after it became every single day. So I started to buy headache pills which help a little bit but they didn't help enough. I decided to go to the Uchiha Manor to check if this disease could have been genetic. It was." Sasuke finished with a barely audible sigh but Naruto heard it anyway.**

**"Why didn't you tell us?" **

**By now both boys were whispering as if they were playing a game of capture the flag and were discussing where to hide the flag from the enemy team. If they were playing that game they're whispering skills would win them the game.**

**"I couldn't have." That was all the Uchiha prodigy said but it opened up even more questions for the blond.**

**"Yes you could have!"**

**"No"**

**"Yes"**

**"No"**

**"Yes and why not!" The blond demanded pointing a finger accusingly at Sasuke as if to get his point across.**

**"Whatever" Sasuke said, turning around as he started to walk away Naruto grabbed his hand jolting his friend forward.**

**"You can't 'whatever' your way out of this situation this time Uchiha!" Naruto snarled.**

**"Wanna bet?" **

**"I'd like you see you get away from me Sasuke-baka!"**

**"Whatever, are we on?"**

**"You bet!"**

**And just like that it was over. Sasuke vanished from Naruto's grip in a puff of smoke and was replaced with a log. Naruto being the loud-mouthed ninja he was cursed loudly while throwing the log against the closed tree.**

**Sasuke looked down at Naruto and tried not to laugh as the blond tripped over a tree root and fell flat onto his face, causing the cursing of Sasuke's name to grow louder and more violent. Sasuke smiled inwardly to himself for once again outsmarting the blond. "Naruto you're such a dobe."**

**Sasuke made his way back to camp but knew that his avoiding skill was almost out. He knew that since Naruto now knew of his secret there would be no stopping him from going and telling Kakashi and Sakura.**

**Going to lie down in his tent he realized there was something moving inside it. He crept over and unzipped the zipper only to jump back in alarm when three angry faces glared back at him. **

**"What the heck?"**

**"Sasuke, you own us an explanation," Naruto said, the other two shinobi nodding in agreement.**

**"I already told you everything else I know! Why don't you just repeat what I told you to them, Dobe? Unless you're so pathetically stupid that you don't even remember what I said to you." Sasuke challenged.**

**"I did"**

**"And"**

**"They wanted to know if there was anything more to it."**

**"Well there isn't" Sasuke finished. Naruto and Sakura thankfully seemed to by his lie although he wasn't too sure about Kakashi.**

**"Are you positive Sasuke? Are you sure there isn't anything else you needed to tell us? Anything else you wanted us to know?" Hatake questioned the Uchiha.**

**"I'm sure, I promise" Sasuke said. **

**_Dang it! One more fake promise_ Sasuke sighed to himself. _Just another lie to add to the collection, right after I can finally think I don't ever have to lie to them again I seem to just lie right to there faces; as always. Why am I so weak in that sense?! This really sucks! Oh well I guess it can't be helped… unless I own up to my lies and tell them the truth. No I can't tell them the truth. But I've already told them the whole entire god forsaken truth! What else can a say?! _**

**Sasuke Uchiha fell asleep this way. Naruto and Sakura easily and quickly fell into a deep slumber while Kakashi just lay there. Knowing that his raven haired student was keeping a major secret from them which was a damper on there teamwork. I'll have to read more into this later Kakashi though to himself before he too fell asleep, completely forgetting it was now his turn to keep watch. **

**Sasuke, the perfect student, the guy all the girls fell in love with, the liar. What he though about the whole situation he didn't know. But Uchihas' were known for keeping dreadful secrets. No matter how bad they could become. Even if they became a matter of life and death.**

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**PLEASE REVIEW!!! All review are really apreciated. Sorry for any gramatical errors and spelling errors. The next chapter will be posted soon. Thanks for reading! **

**P.S. I promise that 'eventually' I will reveal WHY Sasuke told the massacre story wrong and didn't mention that it was Itachi's doing for showing him the murder. **


	4. The Mission Begins

**Hey everyone! Mali here! Yay it's done!! Ok so that was really fast. I wrote it in one day. You see I'm sick right now :( And well I had nothing to do so well ya... here it is!! **

**I hope I made it a little longer than the last chapter.**

**Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just my plot! Please don't use it. It's not nce! Thanks!! **

**

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**

**Chapter Three:**

**The Mission Begins**

**The days slowly wore on as Squad 7 made there way to Earth**

**Country. No one brought up the 'Sasuke' subject not even Sakura who that night after the truth was spilled thought ever hard about the matter and decided to leave Sasuke in peace about his death. Finally one day about mid afternoon Kakashi spotted the gates. **

"**Finally" Kakashi said breathing a long sigh of relief. He believed that once his team had something else to focus on it would be better and not so quiet around. **

"**It's about time!" yelled Naruto throwing his hands up in the air as if he had just won something like a marathon. **

**Sakura sighed and like Kakashi breathed a slow relieved 'finally'**

**While the Uchiha just mumbled something under his breath about how long it took or a 'whatever' as he typically did while taking in his surroundings.**

**Ten minutes later they found themselves walking through the gates toward the centre of town where Kakashi's cousin worked. **

**Naruto was happily looking around until he ran straight into a huge metal pole and screamed a loud "Who put this pole there?!"**

**People started to look at the blonde and give him strange looks while some started to snicker.**

**"What is so dawn funny Uchiha!?" demanded Uzamaki pointing a finger to make sure that everyone else who was listening to the scene understood who he meant.**

**"I wonder Naruto" stated Sasuke is a dull voice "You ran face first into a pole. That's what eyes are for, dobe." **

**Naruto aimed a punch at Sasuke's face but it was easily blocked and Naruto ended up on his rear end in the middle of the street.**

**"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled running at Sasuke at top speed. **

**"Not here guys!" said Kakashi firmly grabbing Naruto's arm and pulling him down the street as if he were some child who had misbehaved and was being taken home for a good whooping. "Don't draw any more attention to yourselves. We already are drawing quite a bit."**

**"Why's that Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura who was walking as if she were someone like a princess. **

**"Because of our forehead protectors, they have the symbol of the Land Of Fire. These people aren't used to Konoha ninjas traveling from way over in Konoha to here."**

**"Oh"**

**"Let…me…ow…go!" screamed Naruto trying to get free from Kakashi's solid grip but no matter how hard he tried the sliver haired mans hand did not budge. Naruto finally gave up and walked along side his sensei wondering how wrong this scene looked to the villagers. **_**We probably look like we're a 'couple'. C'mon Kakashi, let me go! It's embarrassing! Sasuke's never going to let me live this down!**_

**When Team Kakashi arrived in the city's square Kakashi walked over to a little booth where a sign read 'Housing Insurance, And Other Such Building Permits'. **

**"Well, here we are." Kakashi dully stated not sounding excited about seeing his cousin. "Hello? Nidimo, are you there? It's Kakashi."**

**"Ya, ya, hold on." Said a man coming through into view who Squad 7 took to be Nidimo, he was taller than Kakashi, skinnier, and look just a little younger. "Oh Kakashi, what are you doing here?"**

**"We were sent here to protect you on your journey to Konoha and then back."**

**"Oh how fortunate for me." Nidimo joked to himself. "Who are these little kids you have along with you. Kids who are just hoping to become ninjas?"**

**"Hey watch you mouth! We are ninjas! I'm Naruto Uzamaki! I'm going to become the next Hokage, believe it!"**

**"Shut up dobe." Sasuke mumbled. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke." **

**"Hi, I'm Sakura Haruno."**

**"Uchiha, I though they were all dead." Nidimo said suddenly interested in the young Uchiha survivor and completely ignoring the pink haired kunochi.**

**"Sasuke is the only survivor."**

**"So you're the famous survivor of that tragic clan."**

**"The murderer is his older brother." Naruto spilled, earning a death glare from Kakashi and Sasuke.**

**"Oh, well then, I don't trust you."**

**Sasuke didn't' reply to that. He just continued to glare at the man, loathing him more that people could think possible.**

_**What does he know about me, with not parents or siblings? About my past?! And since when does he have the authority to just say he doesn't trust me!?**_

**"Ok then…" Kakashi started breaking the stare down contest that was going on between Sasuke and his cousin. "When do you think you'll be ready to leave?"**

**"Tomorrow morning."**

**"Ok we'll see you here at 6 am sharp."**

**"Since when do you arrive on time Kakashi?"**

**"Like you should be talking when are you ever on time?!"**

**"Never"**

**"Just as I thought, well we'll see you later. Bye." Waving and beckoning his squad to follow.**

**Later that night when they were settled into their hotel room Sasuke decided to ask Kakashi a few questions.**

**"Kakashi…"**

**"Ya Sasuke"**

**"Why doesn't he like me?"**

**"It's not important."**

**"Tell me!"**

**"Fine," Kakashi gave in realizing that Sasuke wouldn't have stepped down. "Nidimo was once engaged to you're mother."**

**"What!"**

**"It's true. He loved her. But on the night they were to secretly wed your mother came to him and told him she couldn't marry him. She told him she had clan duties and had to marry another Uchiha or someone from the Huyga clan. Since then Nidimo changed. He hasn't fallen in love since. He left Konoha and came here. He and I never got along though. He hated me."**

**"Why?"**

**"Because Nidimo used to be a ninja, my father was a genius ninja. So when I was born I was brought up in the way of the shinobi. The youngest person to ever become a Jounin and Nidimo hated me for that. He was still a Chunnin. When I got the Sharingan from Obito he was angered further."**

**"I see"**

**"Ya so we've never been close to each other."**

**"I guess getting the sharingan only made him hate the Uchiha's further." **

**"I suppose"**

**"Still he had no right to treat me as he did."**

**"I guess so." Kakashi finished while Naruto emerged from the bathroom announcing that the shower was free. Sakura said she was going next.**

**Kakashi and Sasuke sat in silence for the amount of time it took Sakura to have a shower.**

**"Ok Sasuke, it's all yours." Sasuke nodded pulling himself off the double bed and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door as loud as his arms obeyed.**

**The next morning everyone hurried over to where they had met Nidimo the day before.**

**Two hours later the squad had just about had enough of waiting.**

**"Gosh! What's his dang problem?!" Kakashi yelled out**

**To his squad.**

**"Well Kakashi-sensei now you know what it feels like to wait for someone." sated Sakura while Naruto nodded. Sasuke on the other hand didn't even take any notice of the conversation.**

**When Nidimo finally did arrive it was noon. Naruto was sitting looking eagerly around him at the busy civilians. Sakura was memorizing some kind of gen-jutsu. Kakashi was sleeping snoring loudly as he always did. Then there was the Uchiha, who was sitting on the highest branch of a tree staring off into the calm sky.**

**Naruto and Sakura kept a lively conversation going until Kakashi fell asleep. Of course they exchanged curses of Nidimo being late and the random topic. Sasuke of course didn't contribute to any of these.**

_**He seems sad.**_** Sakura thought to herself, but against her inner wishes she decided to leave the lonely Uchiha alone. **_**After all, he has a lot to think about.**_** That thought satisfied her enough to go back to her scroll.**

**"Finally!" yelled Naruto. "You know I was starting to get really annoyed about you being so late!"**

**"Hey kid, Kakashi-baka is always late too!"**

**"Well at least Kakashi-sensei isn't six hours late!"**

**"Is this how you feel when I show up late?"**

**"Well… ya … kinda Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura admitted.**

**"I am so sorry."**

**"Whatever, can we just go?" asked Sasuke was would rather be doing something worth while instead of listening to his comrades and client argue about being courteous. It wasn't as if he had that much time left.**

**"Yup, let's go!" **

_**I hate walking!!!!**_** Yelled inner Sakura about 10 minutes after they left the gate and were heading back toward Konoha.**

**Sasuke didn't mind the walking a bit. It was almost calming. He loved going for walks. The second most things he liked to do besides training.**

**But for Naruto… that was a different story.**

**Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours, hours turned into days. He hated it!**

**"When can we rest?" complained the loud blonde, "I'm tired."**

**"Well then, don't take last watch." Sakura explained "If you had first watch you'd be able to sleep in later. But Sasuke-kun has that watch. Ask him to switch."**

**"Sasuke wouldn't give it to me! Are you crazy?! He's up the latest and up the earliest. That guy never gets tired, I swear it!"**

**"Oi Sasuke?"**

**"…"**

**"Would you like to switch shifts with Naruto?"**

**"Whatever."**

**"Really, Ok thanks!"**

**Hours later Sasuke stated they should set up camp. It was flat, and it was going to get dark soon so it would be hard to cook and set up camp in the dark.**

**After dinner was eaten and camp was set up once again Sasuke announced he was going for a walk.**

**"Fine"**

**"I'll be back later."**

**"Ok, just remember you have last watch."**

**"Whatever." Without another word Sasuke got up and left without looking back.**

**Once Sasuke was out of ear shot Nidimo said something about when he was a shinobi they never let a teammate out of sight unless it was a bathroom break.**

_**Finally some peace and quiet.**_

**Sasuke wondered though the woods thinking about what lie in store for him. He tired not to but he just couldn't stop. **

**He found a large tree where he could over look their campsite. It looked to him that his teammates were playing cards. Sakura looked worried though. She kept looking off into the direction that he had left from. **

_**Why is she so worried about me? I'll be okay. I don't really care if I die. We're all going to die anyway. I'm just holding the card for that one sooner that the rest of you I suppose.**_

**The Uchiha sat like that for a long while. Staring out at his comrades until they started getting ready from bed and Naruto was sitting the small fire that Sasuke had made from the fire ball jutsu. **

**The raven haired shinobi watched the loud blonde dozing off to sleep every so often then snap his head up as if he never had. Sasuke had to admit it was rather amusing to watch. **

**About an hour and forty-five minutes after watching Naruto Sasuke decided to head back so he got a decent rest for the up coming day. **

"**Where were you!?" yelled the loud mouthed shinobi, immediately clasping his hand over his mouth realizing that he shouldn't have yelled.**

"**Never mind"**

"**Fine, go to bed!"**

"'**Kay" Sasuke replied heading toward his tent. **

"**Sasuke?" whispered Kakashi. "Wake up." The silver haired man made sure he kept his distance though. If you startled Sasuke when he was sleeping you might end up in a sticky situation. **

"**What?" asked Sasuke, wide awake as if he never fell asleep "Is it my shift already?"**

"**Ya"**

"**Ok. I'm up. Go to sleep Kakashi"**

"**Thanks"**

**Sasuke stood partway up being careful not to hit his head on the top of the tent. He strode out of his tent and into the cold night air. **

**Uchiha filled his lungs with clean air releasing some of his stress. The air felt good. Soothing even, making him feel relaxed as once again he took in his surroundings. They were in a forest. Surrounded by tall trees some of which he could name such as the Pine, Douglas fir and Birch. The air smelt clean, not like the polluted air back in Konoha that tainted you lungs. **

**Sasuke sat down on the small pillow he had packed. He was still in his sleeping bag so he didn't get too cold. A gentle breeze swept through the camp causing the shinobi to slightly shiver. He ran his hand through his dark raven hair. He didn't expect anyone to show up being it was the middle of the night but just then he heard a cold, cruel, mocking laugh from behind a tree…**


	5. An Unwanted Visitor

Hey there everyone.

**IMPORTANT: The only reason. I repeat the ONLY reason this chapter is up is becuase I lost the original chapter 4 during the computer switch. But I continued to work on the old computer until this chapter was done. But when I realized I had lost the chapter before this I had to go back and rewrite it. Sorry.**

Well have fun reading.

**DISCLAIMER: **It's not nice to copy!!!! Don't take my writing!! I don't own Naruto or any of the characters just my plot and my own made up characters! XD

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Chapter 5:

An Unwanted Visitor

Sasuke looked around trying to pin point the location of the intruder.

"Hello, Otto."

"It… Itachi?"

"Yes, long time no see, Sasuke"

"What do you want?" Sasuke spitted out. The rage and hate from his older brother growing in this stomach.

"You should know by now Sasuke."

"What?"

"I have wanted it all my life."

"What? You already have the ultimate sharingan what else could you want?!"

"Hush, you don't want Kakashi-sensei to come out here know, do you?" Itachi smoothly said.

"Shut the heck up!"

"Well, to get to the point I want what someone in your squad possesses. I want what's in that blonde kid."

"What? You want Naruto? Why in the world would you want Naruto?"

"I don't what _him_ foolish little brother. I want what's _inside_ of him. You know… the Nine Tailed Fox."

"There's no way I'm letting you get away with this plan brother. I will die before you get to him!"

"Oh, developed quiet a close relationship with this Naruto character. Brother, I never thought you'd be gay when you were older" Itachi said mockingly.

"Be quiet! I'm not gay!"

"Well, why is he so important to you?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Fine"

"Kisame, is he here too?"

"Yes."

"Where?" demanded the confused younger brother. He knew Naruto contained the Nine Tailed Fox. He was a keeper. But his dumb brother already had enough power! Why would he need anymore?!

"Hiding, I told him not to get involved."

"Oh" replied Sasuke, his left eye brow slightly higher than the right.

"Ya, he's been following you since you left Konoha."

"What?!"

"Ya, he's found out quiet a bit about you."

"I don't believe you!" Sasuke whisper-yelled, he didn't want to believe his older brother. Who had lied to him so many times when they were kids, who never did teach him that shuriken throwing move, after all that was the last broken promise his Aniki had ever made him. Why should this be any different? But, he did. Just in the way Itachi's voice slowed down, the way his eyes gave away the truth. Sasuke didn't know what to do. There were so many things that he hated his brother for. But he was his brother. He still loved him. Itachi Uchiha was the only one who really paid attention to him when he was a kid, looked with interest at his report card, taught him anything, he was the only one who just acknowledged that he was even alive. But was that older Uchiha not responsible the death of his clan? Wasn't it him who made so many promises? Sasuke had so many questions he wanted to ask him. Why did he kill them? Was it really just for power? What was the real, honest reason he was still alive? There was just so many questions, so much pain that was yet to be resolved.

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Turn you're back on the clan?"

"The Clan, the clan, the clan that's all any Uchiha can think about isn't it? The 'clan', what if I don't what to 'be' a part of the clan?"

"But," Sasuke started but was cut off the Itachi.

"Dad only loved me. Wait he didn't love me! He loved me because of what I could do. How good I made the clan look. How good I made him look. 'Oh look at Itachi, he already has sharingan.' Do you have any idea how hard that was?! I was only a tool. Used for battle and for looks. No one knew who I really was!"

"Yes, well…"

"I would've rather been a horrible shinobi than the genius of Konoha! Mom didn't know who I was! Dad didn't! Uncle and Aunt didn't have a dawn clue to who I really was."

"What about me? I knew who you were. But that was a long time ago. You've changed! Ever since you joined the Anbu you were different! You think it was easy for me, for me to grow up in the shadow of you? Dad didn't appreciate anything that I could do! I wasn't good enough in anyone's eyes! No one loved me! I thought you loved me! I though that you were the only one who knew me! But I guess I was wrong. When you killed everyone I trained every spare second I could! Training so hard, until it hurt! I vowed I would never cry again. I haven't broken that oath and I never will while you're alive!"

"Then kill me"

"No"

"No, no and why not?"

"Because, if I'm going to kill you I want eyes witnesses to watch me, the little brother of the genius Uchiha Itachi kills him for the murder of the Uchiha clan!"

"Ok, I will wait until later than. Kisame will keep following you. Be mindful of your thoughts though, they betray you. I will see you again soon. This time I will indeed get the beast from Naruto. Goodbye until then, Otto." Then it was over. Uchiha Itachi vanished into thin air.

Sasuke sighed. He was shaking with anger, pain, sorrow and fear for the one who broke down his emotionless wall, Naruto.

The sun was almost fully up. Sasuke tried to clear his mind from what happened that night. Nothing worked. As soon as Sakura got up that morning he told her he was going for a walk.

"Sasuke, I don't think you should. You look awful. As if you didn't get any sleep at all. Why don't you go to sleep for a while? I'll cook breakfast."

"No thanks. I'll stick to my walk."

"Ok just don't take too long." Sakura warned.

"Ya, ok."

Sasuke walked back into the woods where he had ventured the night before and sat back up in the tree to watch as his friends and enemy wake up, all the while wondering if Kisame was watching him or Naruto.

_There's no way I'm letting that creep get close to Naruto!_ _Who does Aniki think he is?! Trying to take the only important person away from me?! Someday I'll kill him!!!_

Sasuke arrived back at camp just as Nidimo was emerging from his tent. By then Naruto was up too. So leaving to only one asleep was the sliver haired Jounin, Kakashi.

"Oh, Sasuke you're back."

"…" was the reply. Sasuke kept a watchful eye out just incase Kisame would come into view. So far he had no luck on the matter.

"Sasuke?"

"Huh?"

"Pay attention to Sakura-chan you ya, baka!" Naruto got a good thump over the head for that one.

"Whatever." Sasuke was still not really listening to the bickering from Naruto and Sakura. Naruto however was starting to catch on to Sasuke's odd behavior.

"Sasuke is something wrong?"

"No"

"Sure there isn't," Naruto teased.

"Shut up Naruto."

"Sasuke something is wrong. You're not very good at lying." Sakura chimed in. But, of course Sasuke was good at lying. He lied to them all them time. But then again those were always secrets about himself, not about a friend.

Sasuke let out a long sigh, "It's nothing," he lied trying to change the subject but Sakura just kept on interrogating him.

"Come on! Tell us!"

"Itachi and Kisame were here."

Just then the perverted Jounin with silver hair drowsily walked out of his tent.

"Kakashi," Sasuke started, "Come here there's something I need to talk to you about."

"'Kay"

"Itachi and Kisame were here last night."

"What? Why?!"

"Wait hold up! Isn't Itachi that guy who you told me about a while about? The guy who murdered your clan? Isn't he your…"

"Brother, yes, he 'was' my brother."

"I don't get it what they want?" Kakashi asked his students although the question was mainly directed at Sasuke.

"Itachi said that because he has joined the group Atka… something or other he wants more power. Naruto, he wants Naruto."

"Why would he want me?"

"Not you Dobe. He was the nine tailed fox"

"The fox?"

"Because it's powerful, Itachi will do anything for power. That's why he killed my clan. To gain power through the sharingan, to kill you're best friend. I will warn you though Naruto. Don't run off on your own. He's too powerful for you to take on alone. You have to be careful and you can't let your guard down at all. Please don't do anything foolish."

_Ok, that was officially weird, _thought Naruto_ that was completely out of Sasuke's character. Oh well… I wonder how much fun I'll have if I annoy Sasuke by doing the complete opposite from what he told me to do. When is he ever right anyway?_

The next days went on. Just as boring and tiresome as it was on their way to Konoha. This was a higher ranked mission.

_There should have been some kind of conflict,_ thought Kakashi, _maybe I'll get lucky on this particular mission. There's only a good 3 days left to travel. Although I do wish Naruto would be more careful and mind what Sasuke told him. I can tell Sasuke's worried. He hasn't slept properly for over a week. He's up later than his first shift and up earlier than everyone else except Sakura who has last watch. Naruto obviously doesn't understand how strong Itachi is. He has the ultimate sharingan and works with another missing-ninja, Kisame. He's an S-rank assassin in the Anbu Bingo book. There's no way Naruto could come close to beating them. I'll have a talk to him._

Sasuke was walking behind the group, large bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He couldn't sleep. It wasn't that Itachi was searching for Naruto. It was the fact that whenever he laid eyes on Itachi memories of the massacre came back to him. Every night he couldn't sleep because of it. When he finally did fall asleep he woke up covered in a cold sweat. Every night the Uchiha Massacre replayed in his mind just as it did when it originally happened and he hated it.

"Oi, Naruto!" Kakashi barked from farther ahead. Team 7 and the client slowed to a stop as Kakashi continued. "You 3 go ahead, Naruto I need to talk to you."

"Ok."

Sakura and Nidimo exchanged glances then turned to look at the exhausted Uchiha who seemed to be able to stare right though there faces into the forest.

_I hate that! _Nidimo cursed to himself. _He's too quiet, way too quiet. Lighten up kid. I seriously don't get you. One minute acting like you're superior to your teammates which I don't know yet, being I haven't seen you fight. Then just like that you seem spooked and only wear that tired impassive mask. _

"Sakura"

"Yes?"

"Let's go"

"Right"

"Ok let's go guys!" Naruto cheered completely forgetting that he was wanted by Kakashi.

"Dobe" Sasuke muttered under his breath. Only so it was audible to Nidimo who couldn't help but smile inwardly to himself. Asking how the blonde in front of him ever became a ninja. Let alone a student of Kakashi's.

"Naruto, you're supposed to stay with Kakashi-sensei" the pink haired kunochi queued to Naruto.

"Right" Naruto cleared his throat, his sweat dropping "Heh, right. Ok you three go ahead. We'll catch up."

Three quick head nods and a pink haired girl, a raven haired boy and their client set out once again toward the sunset.

"Now Naruto" Kakashi stated firmly in the most serious voice he could muster. "You can't keep ignoring what Sasuke has told you."

"Ya, well just watch me!"

"Naruto I'm serious about this."  
"And why should I care?" Naruto shot back at his teacher. He regretted that he said that. In just a moments time he found himself trapped in Kakashi sharingan wires up against a tree.

"Why should you care? I'll tell you why. Because you're greatly underestimating Itachi, he could beat me easily. And if Kisame is there with him you stand no chance at all. I doubt that you and Sasuke could bring Itachi down; perhaps even you and I couldn't bring down the both of them. That's why you have to be careful. They're on the hunt for you. So please don't wonder around anymore. 'Kay?"

"Fine"

"Good now that that's settled let's go catch up"

It was during that part that Naruto realized that Sasuke might actually care about Naruto's safety. It was like a new revelation. His best friend may just really care for him like a brother, just like how he though of the cold hearted Uchiha.

"Okay, let's go."


End file.
